Rolling mill



March 13, 1928.

J. D. PUGH\ ROLLINGv MILL 9 Sheds-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 3, 1921 .March 13, 1928.v 1,662,331

J. D. PUGH ROLLING MILL Filed sept. 5 1921 9 sheets-sheet 2 March E39 B928,

J. D. FUGH ROLLING MILL Filed sept. '5, 1921 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 l vwcntoz j@ A971074 f 55 lmmm JMW vlis/1Mb 13, 1928 lZM J. D. PUG-:H

ROLLING MILL Filed Sept. 3, 1921 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 lvmmwloz 25% M' #2f/fw@ GWW l March 13, 1928.

J. D. PUGH ROLLING MILL Filed Sept. 5, 1921 9 Sheets-Sheet invento/c @13 W/Qm, 2:' 2;

Strom,

March 13, 1928.

J. D. PUGH ROLLING MILL Filed sept. s, 1921 9 Sheets-Shea?l 9 Patentedv Mar. 13, 192s.

UNITI-:n STATES JOHN D. PUGH, 0F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

ROLLING MILL.

Application led September 3, 1921. Serial No. 498,278.

The present invention relates to rolling mills and particularly to. mills for rolling beams or shapes havingwide flanges.

ln my copending application Ser. No. 327,870 filed Oct. 2, 1919 1s descnbed and claimed a rolling mill by means of which wide flange beams may be formed by a novel method in which all of the surfaces of the blank are rolled as it passes through one pass of a mill except thc upper edges of the flanges, and in another pass the surfaces are all engaged by the rolls except the lower edges of the flanges. This method of forming beams by rolling at each operation all of the beam surfaces except one pair of flange edges, and rolling the flange edges alternately, I have found to be advantageous and to produce a beam of superior quality and of great accuracy in dimension. The

method may be carried out conveniently in a three high mill, and I prefer to use such a mill in practice, but under some circumstances two two-high mills may be employed instead, or indeed any mill capable of' satisfactorily carrying out the process.

' The present invention provides a universal rolling mill similar in general construction to the three-high mill of my former application and adapted to conveniently carry out the process involving the principle of alternate edge rolling, but having a number of improvements which render it more quickly adjustable, more accurate, more convenient to the operator, and which will insure longer life for the moving parts of the mill.

An important feature of the invention consists in the provision ot' anti-friction bearings for the side rolls of the mill. These rolls are not positively driven but ro tate due to their frictional contact with the beam passing through the mill. It is therefore essential that they be freely rotatable and have no tendency to drag, or hold back the work. Novel means is provided for cooling the roller bearings so that they at no time become so heated that the temper is drawn and bearings softened. For this purpose water is circulated through the axle about which each side roll rotates and around which a. set of' ball or roller bearingsi,

is arranged. The chamber containing the bearings is dustproof and has arr opening only for the introduction from time to time of fresh grease or other lubricant.

Another feature of the invention resides 1n the novel arrangement of means for positioning both the horizontal and side rolls.

An. electric motor is mounted on the frame wh1ch ma be driven in either direction and is operatively connected to the means for adjusting both sets of rolls. Electromagnetic clutches are included in the connection and by manipulating the clutches either the side rolls or the horizontal rolls may be adjusted toward or from each other, or both sets of rolls may be simultaneously adjusted. The mill may be formed with either a floating middle horizontal roll or a fixed horizontal roll and the specific adjusting means for the several rolls may include Wedges or adjusting screws, as desired.

Still another feature of the invention resides in the arrangement of the rolls and the means for adjusting the same between successive passes so that it is possible to accurately roll beams With inclined flanges in a three-high mill. rlhe siderolls of a mill for rolling beams with inclined flanges are bevelled each Way from the center so that each roll has a central horizontal circular ridge and this ridge should lie in the plane of the center of the Web of the beam when the beam is passing through. The middle horizontal roll floats between the top and bottom horizontal rolls and means is provided for simultaneously vertically adjusting these rolls between passes. The side rolls are fixed in elevation but due to the manner in which the horizontal rolls are vadjusted the central ridge of each side roll is exactly opposite the center of' the web as the beam passes through that pass. This insures that the flanges of the beam have equal thicknesses on both sides of thc web.

In one form of the invention, the invention having numerous modifications, the fixed axles for the side rolls have portions which constitute' the bearings for the axles of the intermediate horizontal roll. In this form of the invention. the middle roll is fixed when the upper and lower horizontal rolls are at a minimum distance from each other, but is free to float through a limited distance when the distance between the upper and lower rolls has been increased.

` The horizontal rolls may be provided with loose collars for alternately rolling the edges of the beam. These loose collars reduce the cutting action of the flange edge on the roll due to the difference in peripheral speed of the roll at the collar and at the main working face, bearing upon the web of the bealn being rolled. Still another feature of the invention resides in the arrangement of collars on the horizontal rolls whereby at cach pass one pair of edges of the flanges may be fully rolled and the opposite pair partially rolled, a bead or fin being formed on the partially rolled edges which is removed in the succeeding pass through the mill. This method lnay be carried out by two twohigh mills.

The mill may be used either as an intermediate or finishing mill the general construction being the sallie, but the outline of the rolls being different in each case. Where it is used as an intermediate mill I prefer to bevel the side rolls and to reduce the beam gradually with inclined flanges. Rolling the flanges in an inclined position subjects them t vertical pressure as well as to horizontal pressure and works the metal in a more thorou h manner, giving a superior product. T le principle of' rolling flange beams with inclined flanges has lleretofore been successfully employed. Prior mills for performing this operation however have been two-high or single pass mills requiring two mills instead of a single threehigh mill. In general a three-liigh mill has a greater capacity than a two high mill owing to the fact that in two-high mills the beam must be reversed after each pass therethrouffli. By employing a tliree-high mill and the principle of alternate edge rolling a single mill of' large capacity is realized and one which produces beams having well worked flanges.

A number of other changes and improvenients will be noted by one skilled in the art as the invention is described alld ifs novel features pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevation of the mill, designed as an intermediate mill;

Fig. 2 is an elld elevation of thesaine;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged Side view of portion of the mill as seen from the side and shown partially in section and partly broken away;

Fig. 5 is an end view, partially ill elevation aild partially in section of one of the blocks supporting the rolls;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged top view of one of the blocks supporting the rolls, the frame being shown in section;

Fig. 6 is a section on line (Sa-6 of Figure 6;

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic View of a complete plant for rolling flanged beams;

Fig. 8 illustrates diagrammatically the successive arrangement of the rolls in a conseclitive series of passes in the intermediate lill Fig. 9 is a similar view showing the arrangement of the rolls in a consecutive series of passes in the finishing mill;

Fig. 10 is a side view of one of the roll supporting blocks, partially in section to show a modified construction;

Fig. 11 is a vertical section through pol'- tion of' the saine takeil along the axes of the rolls;

Fig. l2 is a top view of a bearing;

Fig. 13 is a sectional view through portion of a modified form otl roll supporting block:

Fig. 14 is a view similar to Figures 4 and lf) but showing a modified construction of supporting bearing for the. horizontal rolls;

Fig. 15 is a section through the saine taken on the axes of the horizontal rolls;

Fig. 16 is a view looking down on a roll bearing liloek, partly broken away to show a difl'erent forni of anti-friction bearing for taking up the thrust on the side rolls;

Fig. 17 is a diagrammatic view showing the arrangement ot rolls in the mill when adapted for finishing; and

Figs. 18 alld 1f) illustrate diagraininatically the construction and arrangement of the lolls in carrying out a slightly modified process ot the alternate edge rolling principle.

As stated. the lnill may be used either as all intermediate inill, receiving blanks from the roughing mill and preparing them for filial rolling iii the finishing mill, or it may be used as a finishing mill. In changing the mill from a roughing to a finishing mill the shapes aild dimensions of the rolls may be changed and these are substantially the only alterations required. 'lhe invention is here described as embodied in an intermediate li'iill lint it. will be understood that it is not limited in this respect, bnfy that the improveinenfs are adapted to be incorporated in rolling inills in general whether intermediate or finishing niills and. in many instances. in either two-high or three-high mills.

The mill roll frame comprises essentially two housings l0 aiid ll arranged parallel fo each other, securely fastened to suitable shoes or foundation plates and held rigidly in fixed spaced relation bv cross braces l2. The respective housings have aligned rectangular openings 13 with parallel vertical edges aild ill these openings are secured blocks for supporting the side rolls. Bracket shaped projections 10 and 1l respectively project laterally from the housings and snpport and guide these blocks. The lower, intermediate, and upper liorizoiltal rolls are indicated at 1l, 15 and 16 respectively and the side rolls are indicated at 17. 18. 19 and 20 respectively'. The lower horizontal roll 14 has itsI neck 14 resting in bearing blocks 2l. which al'e supported upon wedges 22 adapted to be moved transversely by means limited by connected to a piston in the pressure cylinder 26. Upward movement of roller 16 is y bearin blocks 27 which are'vertically adjustable in the opening 13 by means of wedges 28 actuated by screws 29. Lateral movement of these wedges results in vertical movement of the upper rolls in the same manner as lateral movement of wedges 22 results in vertical movement of thelower roll 14.

The intermediate roll 15 is adapted to iioat between the upper and lower rolls and the necks of this roll are rotatably supported in spaced parallel collars 30which are suspended by rods 31 from pressure cylinders 32 mounted at the top of the frame. Adjustable bolts 33 extend through the housings 10 and 11 and the inner kends of these bolts bear against thrust collars 30 to hold these collars in spaced relation to the housings and therefore hold the roll 15 in proper position (lengthwise) between rolls 14 and The outer ends of the bolts 33 are squared at 33 so that a suitable tool may be conveniently applied for turning and adjusting them.

The side rolls 17, 18, 19 and 20 are similar in shape and are mounted in recesses in blocks of similar shape indicated at 34, the upper blocks having downwardly extending portions 35 and the lower blocks having upwardly extending portions 36 which are secured together by bolts 37 so that the upper and lower blocks of each pair are rigidly connected and simultaneously adjustable. The inner faces of members 35 and 36 are parallel and vertically disposed and the axles of the intermediate roll l5 extend through the rectangular opening between these members. The middle roll 15 of course is a floating roll and its necks are therefore provided with side bearing blocks 38 which guide it in its vertical movements between upper and lower blocks 34.

The blocks 34 are, with their attached yokes 40, supported on the lower liners with bracket shaped projections 10 and 11 and are prevented from moving upwardly by the upper projections 10 and 11. These liners are secured to the parallel vertical faces of openings 13 in the housings and constitute guides for bearing blocks 21 and 27. Shims 10 and 11 (Figure 1)` are placed between the horizontal bearing surfaces of these liners and the upper and lower surfaces of the blocks and when the blocks begin to move due to wear of the bearing surfaces, additional shims may be placed in position to take up the wear. As the blocks areI bolted together it is possible to vary the distance between the side rolls by placing shims between them. Suitable adjustments may therefore be made to the vertical spacing of the side rolls.4 The side rolls are therefore supported rigidly in position and yet are adjustable in any manner desired.

The distance between the horizontal ridges of the side rolls is equal to t-he diameter of the middle roll. -The middle roll iioats vcrtically through a distance equal to the distance between the top and bottom rolls, minus the diameter of the middle roll, and therefore through equal distances above and below a theoretical central position between the top and bottom rolls. This is true for all relative positions of the top and bottom rolls inasmuch as these rolls are simultaneously moved through equal distances in opposite directions in adjusting for different passes. It is obvious therefore that the exact alignment of the central ridge of each side roll with the center of the web will be realized at each pass, whatever the thickness of the web may be. This is a novel feature of "the mill which enables the rolling of beams with inclined flanges on a three-high mill, a result not heretofore successfully obtained.

The side rolls are greater in ldiameter thai. the thickness of the supporting blocks and therefore protrude on either side of the blocks for a considerable distance, as shown in Figure 5. The port-ion which projects outwardly is protected by a guard 39 forining part of a yoke 40 secured by bolts 41 to block 34. One of these yokes is provided for each block, and in addition to constituting guards for the side rolls, they cooperate with screws 42 in securing the lateral adjustn ent of the side rolls relative to the horizontal rolls. These yokes 40 are provided with vcrtical slots 43 which slidably retain nuts 44 having threaded engagement with bolts 42. the nuts being vertically movable relative to the yoke but being non-rotatable.

Keyed on the Shanks of screw bolts 42 are ratchet wheels 45, these wheels cooperating with the bolt heads to prevent longitudinal movement of the bolts relative to the frame.. but without interfering with the freedom of rotation of such bolts. The ratchet wheels 45 have hub-like sleeves 46 integral therewith and rotatably mounted on these sleeves are worm wheels 47 meshing with vertically disposed threaded rods 48. Rotation of rods 48 effects rotation of wormwheels 47 and these worm wheels are normally clutched to the ratchet wheels 45 by the oppositcly facing spring press-ed dogs 49, clearly illustrate-d in Figure 6, Rotation of rods i3 therefore normally effects nioven'lent of blocks 34 inwardly or outwardly, each block being provided with adjusting screws 42 which are operatively connected to shafts 48 in the same manner, so that the blocks are simultaneously moved and always through the same distance. If it is desired to manually adjust the blocks, dogs 49 may be lifted from engagement from ratchet wheels 45 and bolts 42 rotated manually and independently of rods 48.

'lhe side rolls are provided with cylindrical central apertures through which extend short, non-rotatable axles 50, these axles being cylindrical and the, hollow interior of each being closed by a threaded plug 51 through which extend inlet and outlet pipes 5;. and 53 respectively, for the circulation of water or other cooling fluid. Between the cylindrical outer surfaces of the axles and the cylindrical inner surfaces of the side rolls are positioned ball bearings 54 and 55 and balls 5G. the whole constituting an ant-ifriction hearing whercbv cach side roll may revolve about its axle with a minimum of friction. 'l`he chamber in which the balls are contained is dusttight having one opening only which is through the top of the block 34, a pipe 57 being provided (Figure 4) through which grease may be introduced from time to time. 'lhe recesses in which the side rolls are located may be formed in a solid block, or cover plates 58 may be employed, securely bolted to the blocks by bolts 59.

Rods 4S extend upwardly and are connected through suitable gearing to an electric motor M securely bolted to the frame. The. motor may be driven in either direction and the gearing and shafts connecting the motor to rods 48 includes a magnetic clutch G0 at the top of each shaft, by means of which each shaft may be connected or disconnected from the motor. The horizontal threaded rods 23 and 29 for operating the adjusting wedges 22 and Q8 respectively are, ou each side of the frame, geared to an upright rod (31, the upper end of which is geared to the motor. llhe connection between each rod Gl and the motor includes an electromagnetic clutch G2 by means of which the motor may he operatively connected to shaft (il or disconnected therefrom, as desired. lt will he apparent that by manipulating the electromagnetic clutches- G0 and ('32 the horizontal rolls can be vertically adjusted siumlt'aneously with the horizontal adjustment. of the side rolls, or either set of rolls can he independently adjusted. Mechanical clutches might be employed if desired instead of electron'iagnetic clutches.

In Figure 5 the intermediate mill is illustrated as being provided with rolls for alternately rolling the edges of the flanges, in accordance with my improved method, the flange rolling collars being formed on the lower and upper rolls respectively instead of on the intermediate roll, as illustrated and described in my prior application. These collars 70 may be loose on the axles of the rolls, as for instance as illustrated in Figure 15 at 70', whereby the cutting action of the flange edge on the roll is greatly reduced. Where fixed collars are employed, a considerable cutting action is realized on the roll adjacent the collar inasmuch as the web and the end of the flange of the work travel at the same linear velocity whereas the peripheral speeds of the main bearing surface of the roll and the bearing surface of the collar are quite different, the edge ot' the flange travelling therefore, considerably faster than the collar against which it bears.

In Figure 8 of the drawings the rolls are diagrammatically illustrated in a consecutive series of passes through the mill when arranged as an intermediate mill. The rolling is done substantially as described in my copending application but the flange edge rolling collars are located upon the top and bottom rolls instead of the intermediate roll, as set forth in said application. It may prove desirable in certain instances to roll completely one edge of each flange at each pass and to partially roll the opposite edge. For instance, in pass 4 of Figure 8 I illustrate the upper roll as having a wide collar for rolling the complete edge of the flange and the lower roll is illustrated as having a narrow collar 72 for rolling a part onl of the opposite flange. In Figure l5 is illustrated the arrangement of rolls for performing such an operation. A bead B will be formed in this method which will be rolled out at the next pass of the work through the mill by the side roll, which extends beyond the edge of the flange. This partial rolling of one edge may be carried out through the process of rolling in the intermediate mill and also in the finishing mill.

In Figure 9 several passes through the finishing mill are diagranm'iatically illustrated. In pass l0 the upper edge is being rolled in part only and the lower edge is being fully rolled. During the last two passes the beam is substantially to final dimension and both upper and lower flange edges are in process of being simultaneously rolled. lf desirable, and to prevent the formation of a lateral edge such as illustrated, at pass No. 6 (Figure 8) during the rolling process, the upper and lower side rolls may be provided with collars 74 and 75 the surfaces of which are cylindrical thereby causing the flange edges to be alternately tapered. In the succeeding pass each tapered edge is rendered substantially square but due to the` deficiency of metal at the tapered edge or rather, due to the absence of a sharp corner at this edge, the formation of a lateral bead is prevented. This may be carred throughout the rolling process, if dcsire In Figures 10 and 1l the axles 50 for supporting the side rolls are shown with enlarged portions 7 5 formed integral with their inner ends, these portions having semicylindrical bearing surfaces for the necks of the intermediate roll. The upper end of the upper axle 50 and the lower end of the lower axle bear against. the block Q-land the block 76 respectively, that is, when the upper and lower rolls are at a minimum distance apart. The position of the intermediate roll vis therefore fixed in this single instance but as soon as the Vdistance between the upper and lower rolls is increased, the intermediate roll may float through a distance equal to the amount of this increase, the axles 50 sliding vertically in bearings 77. In this modification, when the distance between the top and bottom rolls has been reduced to the minimum for the final pass, the middle roll is spaced from both the top and bottom rolls, the gap opposite the last pass beng equal to or less than the thickness of the pass, to prevent actual contact between the adjacent working faces of the rolls of the idle pass. the ridges of the side rolls is, in this instance, equal to the diameter of the middle roll plus the aforesaid gap. The exact alignment of the central ridge of each side roll with the center of the web will then be realized at each pass, whatever the thickness of the web. The advantage of this construction is that the wear of the rolls is greatly decreased and chipping of their corners due to contact is avoided. The roll supporting blocks are provided with retaining flanges 78 which guide the portions in their vertical movements.

In the modification illustrated in Figure.

16 the axles of the side rolls are not provided with anti-friction bearings and the rolls are supported against lateral movement by auxiliary rollers 79, illustrated in Figure 16, these rollers being mounted in yokes 40*l to rotate about the fixed axles 8O and having constant contact with the peripheries of the side rolls.

In Figure 14 a further modification is illustrated in which the axle 51 of the side rolls (which are shown as finishing rolls) abut against but are not integral with the bearings 7 5 of the axle for the intermediate roll. In this instance the intermediate roll is fixed and in the rolling operation the top and bottom rolls must be adjusted. In Figure 13 the axle of one of the side rolls is extended to abut on the necks of the upper and lower horizontal rolls when these rolls are a minimum distance apart, instead of abutting on blocks 24 and 76.

It will be apparent that still other modifications of the individual features of the invention may be made by those skilled in the art wit-hout departing from its scope.

In Figure 7 of the drawings is illustrated a suggested plan of arrangement for a rolling plant. From the roughing mill the The distance between prod uct. passes to the shear and thence to the intermediate mill. Upon completion of the opera-tions in the intermediate mill it is returned toward the shear and thenceI transferred to the finishng mill. This arrange-y ment of mills is particularly advantageous when three-high rolling mills are employed of the general type described, but an arrangement of operating units found csirable may be employed. 75 Having thus'described the invention what 1s claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a rolling mill, in combination, a frame, side rolls adapted to be horizontally adjusted, horizontal rolls adapted to be -ver-A tically adjusted, and means for effecting the adjustment of said rolls including a motor mounted upon the top of the frame, two ro'-4 tatable vertical rods operatively connected to 8 the side rolls, two rotatable Vertical rods operatively connected to the horizontal rolls,l and means connecting each of said rods to the. motor including an electro-magnetic clutch at the upper end of each rod.

2.. In a universal mill for rolling flanged sectlons having two or more horizontal rolls and two or more side rolls, in combination, a frame, a roll supported in said frame and comprising a plurality of sections relatively rotatable about a common axis, the working face of one section being adapted to act on the web of a flanged section and the working face of a second section to act upon the edge of a flange, said working faces being at different distances from the axis of rotation.

3. In a universal mill for rolling flanged sections having two or more horizontal rolls and two or more side rolls, in combination, V a frame, a roll supported in said frame and comprising three sections mounted for relative rotation about a common axis, the middle section having a cylindrical working face for acting on the web portion of a blank and the end sections having working faces for acting respectively on the flanges of the blank, the working faces of the end sections being closer to the axis of rotation than the Working face of the middle section.

4. In a universal mill for rolling flanged sections, in combination, a frame,`a roll supported in said frame and having two relatively rotatable ortions the working faces of said portions eing at different distances from the axis of rotation, and one of said portions being rotatably mounted on the other portion.

5. In a universal mill for rollingI flanged sections, in combination, a frame, a roll supported in said frame and comprising three sections mounted for relative rotation about a common axis, the middle section having a cylindrical working face for acting on the web portion of a blank and the end sections having working faces for acting respectively on the flanges of the blank, the working faces of the end sections being closer to the axis of rotation than the working face of the middle section and said end sections being rotatably supported on axial extensions from the middle section.

6. In a universal rolling mill, in combination, a frame, a horizontal roll in said frame having a main portion with a cylindrical working face for rolling the web of a flanged beam, and a collar at one side of said main portion and rotatably secured thereto, said collar having a cylindrical working face concentric With the main working face of the roll.

7. In a three-high mill for rolling beams with inclined flanges, side rolls each having two relatively inclined faces meeting in an annular ridge, and horizontal rolls, the middle horizontal roll being movable relatively to the top and bottom rolls, the arrangement being such that the web of the beam will be exactly opposite the ridges on the side rolls at each pass.

8. In a three-high mill for rolling beams with inclined flanges, side rolls each having two relatively inclined faces meeting in an annular ridge, and horizontal rolls, the middle and top and bottom rolls being relatively movable, the arrangement being such that the center of each pass is located at the saine elevation relatively to the side rolls.

9. In a three-high mill, side rolls each having two relatively inclined faces meeting in an annular ridge, horizontal rolls, and

means supporting the horizontal rolls for relative movement and relative adjustment, whereby the center of each pass remains at a constant elevation regardless of the adjustment of the horizontal rolls.

10. In a three-high mill, two side rolls on each side, blocks supporting said side rolls, and means for adjustlng said rolls relatively in a vertical direction.

11. In a three-high mill. two side rolls on each side, blocks supporting the side rolls, and means for rigid y securing the pairs of blocks together, said means being designed and constructed to permit relative adjustment of the blocks of each pair.

12. In a three-high mill in con'ibiuatiou` two side rolls on each side, a separate block supporting each side roll, bolts for securing the blocks of each pair rigidly together, said bolts being adapted to be loosened to permit the insertion of filler pieces between the blocks for relatively adjusting the same.

13. In a three high rolling mill in combination, a frame, side rolls adapted to be horizontally adjusted, three horizontal rolls the bottom and top rolls of which are vertically adjustable, a motor mounted in the frame, and means connecting said motor, side rolls, and top and bottom horizontal rolls whereby either the side rolls or the top and bottom horizontal rolls may be adjusted separately or simultaneously, as desired.

14. In a three high rolling mill, in cornbination, a frame, side rolls adapted to be horizontally adjusted, three horizontal rolls the bottom and top rolls of which are vcrtically adjustable, a motor mounted on the frame, and means connecting said motor, side rolls, and top and bottom horizontal rolls whereby either the side rolls or the top and bottom horizontal rolls may be adjusted separately or simultaneously, as desired, said means including electromagnetic clutches between the motor and each set of rolls. i

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

JOHN I). PUGH. 

